Allotments 4 All

Hello I'm new to the forum and a very novice gardener, please be patient with me  : :D  I have been given some cos lettuce plants, they look lovely and healthy, I have googled them (thats how I found this site)  to find out general care instructions but my father in law says I should tie up the tops  ??? is this right?  Oh and this will probably be the first of many questions, my husband has built me a raised veg garden!!

Welcome to the site breezy...
No need to tie up modern Cos varieties....  :)

I'd always tie them up.

I never tie them up (not natural)

Plant them a bit closer together and they will support each other.

What's not natural about tying them up?

Half the things used today could be said aren't natural.

I just plant them close together, they support each other, then! ;)

Show me then LOL

last year, red rubens cos lettuces
[attachment=1][attachment=2] ;)

I can't see a cos lettuce there, where abouts are they?  ;D

I'm talking about a cos lettuce the same as the supermarket ones:)

Mind I have started on the vino but will be back when I have eaten and drunk enough, to disagree about tying or not to tie  ;D  ;D  ;D

I hope you're not smoking tonybloke and telling me porkies  ;D  ;D  ;D

I have a  red cos lettuce that looks like Tonys called Dazzle  ~ maybe thats what he has! I grew regular cos last year and didn't need to tie any of them up.

Duke

supermarket ones? what do they lok like?
I grew the 'rubens red' cos
http://www.organiccatalogue.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_22_46_84&products_id=1540&osCsid=a098099619c093d30bb8c4e82517ea65
last year, very nice taste, easy to care for. ;)
they are the red lettuce looking things in the foreground Sinbad7
(no I ain't started smoking again) LOL !!

Hiya, breezy, welcome to the site  ;D
we never tie our cos lettuces in, watch out for slugs  ;D

If you Google 'cos lettuce jpg' you will see what a real cos looks like.

No slugs if you tie them  ;D  ;D

Everyone to their own. 

Gosh oh golly gosh.

What a lot of argument over a simple lettuce.

Most of us do not grow commonly found produce.

We know that supermarket varieties are there because they last ages after being picked. We grow varieties which wilt too quickly for retailability  but give the home grower a lovely salad.

My suggestion my love is to grow half his way and half your way then play.
Spot The Difference.

Next year you should have the confidence to make your own decisions and grow. Your way...

Quote from: PurpleHeather on May 09, 2009, 19:57:01
Gosh oh golly gosh.

What a lot of argument over a simple lettuce.

Most of us do not grow commonly found produce.

We know that supermarket varieties are there because they last ages after being picked. We grow varieties which wilt too quickly for retailability  but give the home grower a lovely salad.

My suggestion my love is to grow half his way and half your way then play.
Spot The Difference.

Next year you should have the confidence to make your own decisions and grow. Your way...

Ohhhh blimey what have I started  :)

Will go with the tying half and leaving half option and let you know what happens - thank you. As for the slugs think I have cracked that one, am nurturing a couple of hedgehogs (they are lovely) and also have the container of lettuce up on an old patio table which the slugs obviously can't be bothered to climb!

Thank you for all the replies.

Hi breezy, just would like to say I wasn't arguing..................it was just my opinion and the way I do cos lettuce.  ;D   ;D   ;D

I was surprised that someone saw it as an argument as any reply I put on the forum I am usually smiling or laughing to myself.  A difference of opinion and there are many of those on all forums.

Anyway, I wish you luck with growing them and hope you enjoy the lovely crunch  and flavour of a cos when you have.  :)

Quote from: Sinbad7 on May 10, 2009, 00:16:15
Hi breezy, just would like to say I wasn't arguing..................it was just my opinion and the way I do cos lettuce.  ;D   ;D   ;D

hehehe didn't think you were arguing, hey I've seen alot worse on other forums!! We all have different ways and it's finding the one that suits yourself the best innit. Anyway will keep you updated on said lettuce - maybe a little boring for some but a major achievement for me who can kill  the toughest old houseplant with just a glance ......  :)  funny really because I'm a florist by trade, can keep cut flowers for weeks but owt still living ........ ???

me and sinbad7 argueing?? never!! we mates! LOL ;) ;D ;D ;D

Quote from: tonybloke on May 10, 2009, 18:38:23
me and sinbad7 argueing?? never!! we mates! LOL ;) ;D ;D ;D

Think its a common thing allotmenters all have their own opinion but normally what they grow turns out pretty similar, depending of course on variety.